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| - Duty Editor: Tanya Willmer Engdeskers@afp.com -- TOP STORIES -- + AstraZeneca says no added clot risk in US trials + Turkish lira sinks after central bank chief sacked + Sydney battles worst floods in decades + Huge asteroid zooms past Earth + Crowds flock to erupting Iceland volcano Health-virus,WRAP WASHINGTON Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca says US trials show its Covid-19 vaccine does not increase the risk of blood clots, even as a poll shows trust in the jab has plunged in many European countries because of safety concerns. 750 words 1100 GMT by AFP bureaus. Picture. Graphic. Video. Videographic Turkey-economy-bank,WRAP ANKARA The Turkish lira and stocks plunge as officials try to stem the financial carnage caused by President Recep Tayyip's Erdogan's dismissal of his reformist central bank chief. 600 words 1000 GMT by Raziye Akkoc Australia-weather-flood,WRAP SYDNEY Torrential downpours lash Australia's east, forcing thousands to flee the worst flooding in decades and pushing communities already battling drought, bushfires and the coronavirus pandemic to "breaking point". 700 words moved by Andrew Beatty, with Holly Robertson in Brisbane. Picture. Graphic Space-asteroid SEOUL The largest asteroid to pass by Earth this year reaches its closest point to our planet, posing no threat of collision but giving astronomers a rare chance to study a rock formed during the beginning of our solar system. 500 words moved by Qasim Nauman. Graphic Iceland-volcano,SCENE FAGRADALSFJALL, Iceland Iceland's volcanic eruption near the capital Reykjavik draws thousands of curious onlookers to marvel at the hypnotic display of glowing red lava, the bravest of them grilling hot dogs and marshmallows over the smoldering embers. 600 words 1000 GMT by Jeremie Richard. Picture. Video -- CORONAVIRUS -- Health-virus-vaccines-AstraZeneca-US,lead WASHINGTON AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine is 80 percent effective at preventing the disease in the elderly and does not increase the risk of blood clots, the biotech firm says, following its US phase III efficiency trials. 400 words moved Health-virus-Germany BERLIN Germany is poised to prolong and tighten a partial lockdown into April as new virus cases soar, according to a draft document seen by AFP ahead of a government meeting. 550 words 1100 GMT by Hui Min Neo Health-virus-Germany-music,FOCUS BERLIN One thousand tickets snapped up in three minutes -- a year after concert halls across Germany were closed to stop the spread of the coronavirus, a pilot project for spectators to return is greeted by popular acclaim. 600 words 1030 GMT by Mathieu Foulkes. Video Health-virus-Britain-France-university-language,FOCUS LONDON Elliott, a 20-year-old student at Warwick University in central England, logs on to Skype every week with 97-year-old Jacqueline in France, hoping not only to improve his French-language skills but also break the monotony of lockdown loneliness. 650 words moved by Sylvain Peuchmaurd -- MIDDLE EAST -- Israel-vote,WRAP JERUSALEM A day before Israelis vote, three outcomes remain possible: a right-wing coalition under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an ideologically divided government united only by their opposition to him, or a fifth election. 600 words 1100 GMT by Ben Simon. Picture. Video Lebanon-politics,WRAP BEIRUT Lebanon's President Michel Aoun meets prime minister-designate Saad Hariri to discuss the formation of a new government, but there are no signs of a breakthrough after seven months of deadlock. 600 words 1100 GMT by Tony Gamal-Gabriel. Picture. Video -- ASIA -- China-Canada-diplomacy-politics,WRAP BEIJING The trial of Michael Kovrig, the Canadian detained more than two years ago in China on espionage charges, starts, with relations between Ottawa and Beijing in freefall. 750 words 0930 GMT by Jing Xuan Teng. Picture. Video. Live Video Myanmar-politics-military,WRAP YANGON A BBC journalist held in Myanmar has been freed, the broadcaster says, as demonstrators take to the streets for fresh anti-coup protests against the military. 650 words 1030 GMT. Graphic. Picture. Video -- AFRICA -- Congo-vote-Kolelas,WRAP BRAZZAVILLE Republic of Congo opposition candidate Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas dies of Covid-19 as he was being transferred to France for treatment, the day after a presidential election in which he was the main challenger to the country's veteran leader. 700 words 1200 GMT by Laudes Martial Mbon and Samir Tounsi. Picture. Video. Graphic Also moving: Congo-vote-Kolelas,OBIT -- EUROPE -- Belgium-attacks-anniversary,WRAP BRUSSELS 'Aline, Patricia, Leopold, Gilles, Johanna, Loubna...' Five years on, the 32 victims of the Brussels bomb attacks are the focus of the national day of commemoration. 550 words 1200 GMT by Matthieu Demeestere. Picture. Video EU-diplomacy-sanctions,WRAP BRUSSELS EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels are to approve sanctions over abuses in China, Myanmar and Russia, as the bloc expands measures targeting global rights breaches. 500 words 1000 GMT by Max Delany. Picture. Video -- AMERICAS -- US-politics-immigration,WRAP WASHINGTON "Do not come, the border is closed." Under fire and accused of having provoked an influx of thousands of migrants across the southern US border, the Biden administration goes on the offensive to try to reassure Americans of its ability to manage the first big crisis to emerge on its watch. 650 words moved by Brian Knowlton -- SPORT -- Auto-Prix-season-2021,PREVIEW LONDON Lewis Hamilton begins his bid for an unprecedented eighth drivers' world championship this week facing a cluster of challenges to his crown, as Formula One launches its cost-cutting era with a record 23-race global calendar. 800 words moved. File picture. Graphic Also moved: Auto-Prix-season-Tsunoda,PROFILE Auto-prix-season-2021-Schumacher Qatar-rights-labour-Amnesty-fbl-WC2022 DOHA Amnesty International calls on football's global governing body FIFA to put more pressure on 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar to improve conditions for workers in the Gulf country. 450 words moved Oly-2020-2021-Japan-tourism-health-virus-economy,FOCUS TOKYO Toshiko Ishii spent $180,000 renovating her traditional Japanese inn in expectation of a flood of tourists ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, but now she won't be hosting a single overseas fan. 750 words moved by Hiroshi Hiyama and Etienne Balmer. Picture. Video -- BUSINESS/TECH -- France-Sweden-retail-trial-labour-Ikea,WRAP VERSAILLES, France The French branch of Swedish retailing giant Ikea goes on trial accused of running an elaborate system to spy on staff and job applicants using private detectives and police officers. 650 words 1200 GMT by Clara Wright Germany-automobile-technology-Volkswagen-Tesla,FOCUS FRANKFURT When Volkswagen chief executive Herbert Diess finally joined Twitter in January, he used his first tweet to warn Elon Musk that he was coming after Tesla's electric car market share. 680 words 1000 GMT by Yann Schreiber. File picture afp
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